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14 CAN'T-MISS FOOD
EXPERIENCES AT DC'S
UNION MARKET

Visit this vibrant culinary haven in the

District's NoMa neighborhood for a
variety of delicious food.

Welcome to Union Market, DC’s hippest

feasting ground, a revived mid-century
produce- and meat-selling bazaar that
holds food stalls, informal restaurants and
kitchenware boutiques in NoMa. We’re
focusing on some of the tastiest
experiences to be had at the hub, which is
open every day of the week except Monday.

1 A jammin’-worthy sammy and a

loaded drink at Buffalo & Bergen

$ Buffalo & Bergen

Yep, that’s a Bob Marley reference and yep,

the sandwiches at Buffalo & Bergen JAM.
Try the mountain shiksa, packed with
homemade lox, maple pecan cream cheese
cheese and bacon; this dynamo is served up
on an egg bagel (or knish, if you prefer).
Looking for a choice beverage? Try the Lox’d
and Loaded, a spicy bloody mary garnished
with an everything bagel featuring lox,
cream cheese, capers and red onion. Bro.

2 Unlock unreal meat flavors at Red

Apron Butchery

$ Red Apron Butchery

Pretty simple, right? Of course, you have

plenty of choices at Red Apron, with nearly
80 artisanal products to choose from. This
spot has redefined the butchery, using only
natural, hormone- and antibiotic-free beef,
pork, lamb and poultry. Sandwich selections
are fierce, including the Porkstrami, which
pairs quite well with fries.

3 Savor a large platter at

Rappahannock Oyster Bar

As one of the few oyster bars to be enjoyed

in the District, Rappahannock Oyster
Bar has maintained a comfy home at Union
Market, satisfying all comers with pristine
oysters and clams from nearby Virginia. The
large platter gets you 12 mixed raw oysters
and a half-dozen raw clams, perfect for
sharing with a friend as you sip on white
wine or a local draft from Devils Backbone.

4 Try a poke bowl at The District

Fishwife

$ The District Fishwife

The seafood party continues with The

District Fishwife, a 440-square-foot fish
market owned and operated by a husband
and wife team. The Fishwife offers both
fresh fish and prepared meals, and the poke
bowl is one of its most oft-praised of the
latter. The Hawaiian fish is prepared with a
spicy version and a more traditional version
teaming up with warm rice, seaweed salad,
ginger and carrot for a flavor explosion.

5 Enjoy a different kind of taco at

TaKorean

$ TaKorean

Asian-style tacos? Sign us up. TaKorean

started as a food truck and is now a Union
Market favorite. Korean-style proteins
(including beef, chicken, pork and tofu) and
a soft-corn tortilla make up your base,
unless you want to roll with a slaw or rice
bowl. Topping options are mouthwatering,
including cool lime crema, Sriracha chili
sauce and salsa roja. TaKorean also does
TaKo Tuesday, when you can get their
creations for just two bucks each.

6 See what all the dosa fuss is all

about at DC Dosa

$ DC Dosa

Founded by Priya Ammu, native of Bombay,

India, DC Dosa doles out South Indian lentil
crepes that can be stuffed with ingredients
of your choosing. The street-food staple
now has a strong presence in DC thanks to
Ammu, who has been wowing taste buds at
this Union Market locale. Browse the menu
and daydream on all of the hearty combos,
then find your way to this fast-casual gem.

7 Discover inventive sushi at O-Ku

$ O-Ku

Located just down the street, O-Ku (“Oak”

in Japanese) wants you to get excited about
sushi. While you’ll be able to enjoy
traditional dishes nigiri, this hot spot
rethinks what sushi can be with the
creations like the Tasmanian king salmon
with golden tomato confit. The restaurant’s
robata grill also churns out wagyu skirt
steak and chicken yakatori.

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8 Find falooda at Toli Moli

$ Toli Moli

Toli Moli specializes in falooda, a dessert

that is prevalent throughout Southeast
Asia, the Middle East and the Indian
subcontinents. The shop’s healthy and
flavorful take on falooda is turning it into a
DC sensation as well. The royal falooda is
the most popular variation: a mix of
pomegranate-ginger jellies, rice noodle
pudding, vanilla ice cream, rosewater
syrup and a rotating cast of seasonal items.
If that wasn't appetizing enough, Toli
Moli offers noodle salads and snacks, too.

9 Dig in to all the meats at St.

Anselm

$ St. Anselm

Former Top Chef finalist Marjorie Meek-

Bradley has formed a dynamic team with
restaurateur Stephen Starr (of Le
Diplomate fame) to bring Union Market-
goers the finest grilled dishes at St. Anselm.
This sleek, 7,000 square-foot hot spot can
be found just across the street. Start your
meal off right with grilled oysters dressed in
smoked herb butter or clams before
choosing any number of grilled meats
(think: ribeyes, flat irons, New York strips).

10 Get Creole’d at Puddin'

$ Puddin'

Spark the Southern in your palate with a

visit to Puddin’, which is known for churning
out some of the best shrimp ‘n' grits in the
District. Owner/chef Toyin Alli started out
as a street food vendor at Eastern Market,
but her “divine comfort food” is now served
through the Union Market location, two
food trucks and other local markets.
Beyond the S’N’G, Alli whips up amazing
takes on chicken ‘n' beef sausage gumbo, po’
boy sandwiches and another crowd
favorite, Brown Butter Bourbon Bread
Puddin'.

11 Say hello to the weekend with a

bagel from Neopol Savory
Smokery

$ Neopol Savory Smokery

A trip to Neopol Savory Smokery is a great

idea any time, as the shop offers gourmet
foods, including artisanal smoked salmon,
Tuesday through Sunday. However, step
inside on a Saturday or Sunday morning for
one of its outstanding bagels. We’re getting
hungry just listing the choices: smoked
salmon with cream cheese, tomato, capers
and red onion; smoked whitefish salad with
artisan greens, tomato and red onion;
smoked bacon and tomato with cream
cheese and red onion; we’d go on, but we
imagine you’ve set a calendar appointment
in your phone already. The shop opens at 8
a.m. on the weekends.

12 Scoop up a scoop from Trickling

Springs

$ Union Market

We all scream for ice cream, especially

when you’re purchasing it from Trickling
Springs Creamery after an awesome
afternoon or evening at Union Market. Pick
from an array of ice cream flavors, but the
sweet goodness does not stop there.
Trickling Springs also offers root beer
floats, fresh milkshakes, grass-fed milk,
yogurt smoothies and cheese. You can even
purchase large servings of ice cream for the
home freezer.

13 Take in up to six dazzling courses

at Masseria

$ Scott Suchman / Masseria

Chef Nicholas Stefanelli’s Michelin-

starred Italian restaurant presents one of
the city’s finest dining experiences. With an
menu consisting of four to six courses, each
plate is equipped with loads of Italian flavor
and pristine culinary style. Stefanelli’s menu
guides you along the Italian coast,
showcasing classic pastas, seafood and rare
meat dishes like rabbit and squab. You’re in
for an adventure.

14 Rock a lobster taco or fried

oysters at Bidwell

$ Bidwell

Bidwell is a Southern-inspired home run of

a restaurant, dealing in comfort food with
more dazzle than you’d come to expect. The
restaurant, which grows most of its produce
on the market's rooftop, was named a Bib
Gourmand honoree in DC's Michelin
Guide. A lobster taco, served with avocado-
tomatillo salsa, is a fantastic shareable dish
to kick off a meal, as are the crispy fried
oysters with green chile buttermilk
dressing. Of course, you can also get your
comfort from herb-roasted half chicken or
grilled hanger steak.

FOOD & DRINK NOMA DC COOL

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